Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-11-11
WANTED THE SILVER.
why n Young Hottentot Destroyed u"
Masters Thermometer.

! Why Young Hottentht Des''~s~
Masters Thermometers.
My boy Pet was not handsome. In
deed to European ideas, his small eyes
set obliquely in hisfaee; his wide and Nal
nose with its distorted nostrils, and the
bridge so little elevated that the space
between the cheek bones was almost
Hat; his protruding lips. and long ana
prominent but narrow and pointed chm
might appear positively ugly, notwith-
standing the verdicts of the various
Hottentot bellies with whom he was on
| familiar terms. and who evidently re-
gardcd him with approving eyes.
He was a pure H,ttentot. OF u type
now almost extinct; he was faithful'
tolerably honest, except in matters
in which food, drink or money
were concerned; less of drunkard
than most of his compatriots; and
liar of but small capacity. He was
about five feet four inches in height
and of a iaundiced yellow hue. His
age amounted to about sixteen years IN
actual time, but he appeared to be at
least a century old in wickcdness and
depravity.
D. kept thermometer hung up
on II nail which was driven into one OF
the ridge-polcs of tho tent, and the
mercury in the tube and bowl much
exercised the mind of Pet He asked
us frequently what it was for, and evil
dently regarded our explanations as to
the use of the instrument as mere sub
terfuges designed to disguise the truth,
asking:
.What the use of such Ting? S'pose
I see cloud dis side over dar. den me
know rain soon catch dis part. and
mako plenty cold. S'pose You no able
for tell if day hot or cold without dem
t'ingp"
The word "mcrcury. too, he consil-
cred slang name we had invented to
describe the metal in the bowl; and one
day. when D. happened to refer to
it as quicksilver" in Pets presence,
could soc a sudden CLEAN of intelli-
gence in the boys eyes, and a pleased
expression on his fiat countenance. rs
if he had at last received corroborative
evidence of fact which he had long
suspected. Next day we came back
from the claim somewhat earlier than
was our custom on account Of the I'M
usual heat, and when D. went, as
usual, towards the thermometer to see
what the temperature was, behold, no
| therpnpn,a xyns thnra
We. of course. suspected Piet at once,
and searched high and low for him.
He was nowhere near our tent, but
after some time we discovered him at Il
little distance. crouchcd down behind a
heap of stuff aear sorting table
busily engaged with something on the
ground. We approached him on tip
roe and baheld an amusing sight. Be
fore him on the ground lay the broken
thermometer and beside it, in the dust.
was glistenine little silver globule of
mercury. Piet's eyes were fastened
upon this with mingled expression OF
amazcment and fright Every now and
then he would cautiously extend finger
and thumb and endeavor to pick up the
mercury, which naturally escaped him
and rolled to one side. His action and
expression each time he found he haG
missed it were so absurd that at last we
could not restrain our laughter; he at
once heard us, looked round. and the
next moment was dancing about and
making grimaces at us two hundred
yards off.
1t was not until the pangs Of hunger
compelled him, towards the evening. to
approach the tent that we caught him.
He expressed contrition. but seemed to
hink. at the same time. that we had
played rather II shabby trick on him.
"What for You tell mo that silver live
in dem ting for?' he asked. "Why
YOU no say it witcheraft? and then left
him. That no good silver-not money
silver "--1U The Year Round.